Saumen Kar's Stroies: A Pharoah's Quest story
by TLFScarheart12
Summary: Request from Legofanatic123. Prof. Archibald, concerned about the rapid melting of ice in Northern Canada, attempts to learn stories from the Saumen Kars. Things get exciting from there. Written as his journal. Rated T for some violence in the legends.
1. June 13, 1925

Once again my belief in things unproven, which again my colleagues don't share, has brought me, Professor Archibald Hale, to the wilderness. At least there won't be more sand in my underpants. Here there is no sand. In the borderline between Canada and the arctic there is only snow, ice, and freezing ocean waters. Still trying to decide which is worse. Sand or snow?

So what bring me to this icy wasteland instead of home enjoying the summer break from the college? Because I've heard reports of the area starting to melt and I'm hoping to find some saumen kars (that's sho-men car). These yeti like creatures are told stories as youngsters to keep them from rampaging. I'm hoping to collect these stories and share them with the world.

Most people of course are either telling me that they don't exist, or that they're only in Greenland. But my theory based on various researches suggest that they live here in Northern Canada as well. I just wish they'd live somewhere with at least a nice hotel.

As for my team I have contacted a group of adventurers who worked with me in Egypt almost a year ago, Jake Raines, Helena Tova Skvalling, and Mac McCloud.

Jake is quite a famous adventurer and pilot. His fame is what first lead me to find him. Certainly not as believing as me, unfortunately, and very quick to leap into danger. But he is very agile, brave, and can get out of most bad situations.

His friendly rival is Helena Tova, who while not as tough as Jake, is much more knowledgeable in areas pertaining to archeology including speaking various languages, being able to translate ancient writings, and figuring out where traps are hidden should we find a temple or tomb of some sort (though I highly doubt we will).

Mac is a close friend to Jake. A great mechanic, driver, and demolitions expert. He's also quite handy with a radio, which is always good this far up as agile as his friends I'm afraid, and nor the most polite person I know, but we need someone to help with the technical equipment.

Speaking of which, here comes Jakes plane now. I must stop writing for now so I can wave them down.

I'm back again. The three have arrived. They are well and excited I'm happy to say. Helena even said that she had been reading up on Inuit anyway (Inuit is Eskimo word for Eskimo. I figured since we are in their territory, we ought to call them what they call themselves) and was very pleased to get my telegram.

She also noted that I seemed to have a tone of urgency in my telegram, which I suppose I am a bit anxious. It has been fairly warm this year (hard to believe. Sure is cold enough for me) and the normal ice melt along the edges of the arctic ocean has been stretching further. I'm worried this will endanger the saumen kars' home.

We will have to be very careful in this expedition. Who knows what else the warmer weather will do to the landscape.

I must stop again now. We must try to spot a saumen kar

Again I am back, writing by fire light as Helena cooks up some fish for dinner. What I wouldn't give to have them battered and friend and for some vinegary chips to go with them. Where's a good chippy when you need one?

Much to my, and I suspect all of our surprises, We didn't have to look for a saumen kar. A saumen kar found us! Mac was terrified and probably would have run if Jake wasn't holding onto him.

Luckily the saumen kar was elderly and hence quite a peaceful beast. Saumen kars are looked upon as shamans like by the Inuit which would explain how he (I assume its a he by its voice, but in honestly I didn't check or ask) knew we were looking for him.

He asked (yes, he did talk!) why we were searching for him. We told him we were seeking the stories of the Inuit. However we all agreed it was too late to get them all at once. He told us he would tell us stories that related to our day. We agreed to this and the saumen kar left us to set up the camp we will live in the next few days.

I'm hoping while here we can also socialize with the Inuit people though I'm a bit concerned how they will treat Helena. Not that I'm complaining, but she does do odd things for her gender. We shall see what happens.

I'm going to sleep right after dinner and probably will not have much time to write these next few days. Mostly I will write at night to record stories and tell about the day. I just hope things will go better here than they did in Egypt.


	2. June 14, 1925

Worst luck!

We've been here a day and some and already something has happened!

I knew the melting ice meant it would be thin, but I didn't it would be thin this close to us! Helena was going to look around to better know the surroundings. He had only gone around 4 and a half meters from the camp towards the sea when she fell through the ice! Thankfully she managed to come up for air but she couldn't climb out. The surrounding ice was too slippery.

Jake and Mac sprang into action. They quickly headed over to her. When they got close Jake got onto his stomach Mac holding onto his ankles. Jake reached forward and grabbed Helena's hands. Mac then pulled them both to safety, Jake inching backwards on his stomach.

Helena wasn't shivering like she should have been. She looked tired and had trouble standing up. She told us she might have hypothermia.

I put my spare coat on her and we pondered what to do. My first suggestion was to have Mac radio a hospital. They could pick her up in a helicopter and take her to the city for treatment.

Jake disagreed saying, "Archibald, that's only to be used as a last resort. Helena just needs to warm up right? I'm sure someone in one of the local villages will help."

Mac agreed with Jake and I didn't have time for me to argue my point. Helena's life was in danger. We quickly took her to a local Inuit village for treatment. A friendly couple who had some extra room as they were expecting a baby, took Helena in, gave her some dry furs and a hot stew. I also brought some hot water bottles which was placed in her furs.

Helena thanks us and the couple. She promised she'd feel better by tomorrow, but I doubt she will. Again I didn't argue. I just told her to rest.

Helena is still there now, fast asleep and looking like an Inuit with all her furs. The couple made sure we had plenty to eat before we returned to our camp. Poor Helena was still very pale when we left. I wouldn't be surprised at all if she caught a bad cold form this. Jake is prepared to fly her to a hotel where she can rest and stay warm if she does.

We've agreed now not to exit the camp towards the ocean. Too dangerous. We can't risk anyone else falling.

I must stop writing now. The saumen kar is back.

I am back.

The saumen kar saw what happened to Helena and offered his sympathies to our team. The local Inuit know him so he said he'd visit Helena herself soon.

he also told us a story of an Inuit to big to fall into a hole in the ice.

The Inuit's name was Koodlowetto. He had been hunting Walrus and had made a successful catch with his harpoon. But he stumbled and the walrus pulled him into his breathing hole. But Koolowetto was large enough that he didn't fall though the hole and managed to get the walrus.

Quite a discovery. I just wish The price hadn't been Helena's health. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Off topic but I noticed the waves have been coming in more quickly and the the ocean is rising. While far up north we still are in the eastern edge of Canada. I hope there isn't a storm coming.


	3. June 15, 1925

What do you know? Helena's completely healthy! We went to see her this morning and was shocked to find her on her feet to greet us. I protested at first saying she should be in bed. But Helena cut me off.

"I'm fine Archibald. Really, I am. The Inuits took good care of me," She told me.

I had to agree that she seemed fine. There were no signs to say the icy water had given her any sort of a cold. I'm greatful to have her back among us and Jake and Mac seem to be as well.

We thanked the couple that had taken us in and asked if there was anything we could do in return. The told us they had simply taken her in out of hospitality and nothing was due in return. It raised conversation though and we learned that there has been flooding from the melting ice and there was a lot of drift wood to collect.

We vollenteered to help them collect it. It was a long time to have you back bent and it got heavy after a while, but the Inuits seemed greatful for the extra hands.

Of course only Helena was a good sport about it. Jake in particular was whining saying that this wasn't the adventure he had signed up for. Tough luck Jake. Not every adventure is going to be slaying mummies, stopping criminals, and finding treasure in booby traped areas...at least I hope not.

Being close to the ocean while collecting driftwood confirmed what I saw yesterday. The waves are gettting begger and coming in faster. I don't know why but something about it makes me uneasy. Maybe I'm just not used to it.

My back and shoulders ache as I write this. While I'm glad we could help. we deffinantly WON'T be doing that again. What I Wouldn't give for a long soak in a hot bath.

I must stop now. The Saumen Kar is back.

I am back again. The Saumen Kar was also glad Helena is Okay.

I mentioned him about the ocean waves. He agreed saying that he feared Sedna was angery about something. When I asked what he meant he told us this legend:

Once there was a woman called Sedna. She had everything an Inuit woma could need. a loving family, plenty of food, and warm furs. But she did not have a husband. She denied all suitors despite tradition and her parents pleas.

Finally one man came who promised all the nessesities and comforts she had living with her parents. Sedna accepted his proposal.

The man took her to an island to live and reveiled himself to accually be a bird disguised as a man. Being a bird he could not give her what he had promised.

Some time Later Sedna's father visited and saw waht had happened. He killed the bird and started to take sedna home. But a storm came and sedna had to cut off her fingers and throw her into the sea. Her fingers became all ocean life and she herself became the greatest sea spirit.

Not exactly a happy tale, but not all legends are.

Still if the Saumen Kar fears the she is angry...does that mean something bad is going to happen? Nature has never really frightened me before, but I can't deny how rough the sea is getting.


	4. June 16, 1925

Woke up to a nasty shock this morning. Some of our camp had been flooded! Luckily not our tents. I don't think Helena can take another blow from cold water like that. He had to salvage any dry firewood we could and move our tents further away.

"This is what you meant, isn't it Archiblad?" Helena asked, "Why you were worried about the ice melting."

I nodded and told her that while the nearby inuits were safe as they are technically above solid ground, all the Ice north of us has nothing underneath is, meaning any animals up there will drown including, possibly, saumen kar.

"What about the weather?" she asked, "I've noticed signs of a hurricane. But I would have thought we're up too far north to get hit by it,"

I told her, "In these conditions I wouldn't put anything past mother nature. Freak storms do happen. We'll see what happens these next few days."

Our conversation was cut then when a snowball knocked off my hat and I heard Mac shout "BULL'S EYE!"

The only thing that kept me from telling him off was that he was surrounded by laughing Inuit children. Mostly boys, as to be expected, but there were a few girls as well.

I instead decided to make the kids laugh more by extracting a bit of revenge. Unfortunately I've never had a good throwing arm or good aim. The snow ball hit Jake by mistake, and...well it just got chaotic from there.

Not exactly great research, but it after looked at signs of doom and gloom from the weather and the sea, it was nice to see the youngsters laughing and having fun. To be honest, I think we all rather needed the pick me up.

Afterwards one of the kids told us that he was glad they could have fun today. What with all the flooding they haven't had much space to run around. They couldn't go far at all without being at risk from qalupiluks, so he claimed.

Not even Helena, who knows even more languages than I do had any idea what a qalupiluk was. We went to the local Inuit village to ask around. The Inuit told us qalupilik were stories that they told children to keep them from wandering into the sea and drowning. Must remember to ask the saumen kar when he comes. Speaking of which, here he comes now.

He has left again. He told us a specific story about the qalupiluk.

There was once a grandmother with her grandson who were very poor. The boy would cry from hunger. The grandmother became annoyed and called the qalupiluks to take him away. They did so.

Later the grandmother felt sorry for her deed and asked a couple to help her get her grandson back. The found the boy sitting on the edge of the sea playing. He had a rope of seaweed around him and whenever he got close, the boy would cry out and the qalupiluk would pull him back into the sea. They were afraid the grandmother would hurt the child if he was allowed to go back to the Inuit.

It sounds like they aren't malevolent creatures. Just worried mothers in their own right.

The weather is what's worrying me. the sky is completely overcast now and the wind is really starting to pick up. Wind chill does more damage to the body than the cold air itself, after all. The ocean is getting more and more restless. I wish I had a barometer to tell for certain, but I think helena is right. There is a hurricane at least near by, and part of it is going to hit where we are.

I'm planning to stay up tonight so if something does happen I can wake the others and hopefully no one will be hurt.


	5. June 17, 1925

Such horrible sights! The destruction of the storm was terrible.

Yes, dear journal. The hurricane did hit us. Not at the eye mind you, but enough to cause us many grievances.

As soon as I saw the lightning start and the wind pick up I went to wake everyone up so we could get to safety. Outside in a hurricane is never a good idea.

Helena and Jake awoke as soon as I told them we were in danger. Mac simply turned over and began to snore. It took all three of us 10 minutes and 3 buckets of water to wake him up. After that of course we had to make sure he was in dry clothes to prevent more cases of hypothermia. I'm sure Helena in particular will agree one is enough.

By the time we got Mac ready and the camps packed up the wind was really starting to blow. Snow was everywhere and if was hard to open our eyes, even for me with my glasses, which needed built in windshield wipers for all the snow blowing about.

All that plus the lightning and thunder. The sound was like having cannon go off right next to your ear. And that's with it slightly drowned out by the sound of the wind.

The four of us linked arms and slowly made our way across the ice. The cold stung any skin that was exposed. The wind blew from our right side, threatening to blow us over like dominoes. at least for a while. then it died. I turned and found the saumen car using himself as a barrier against the wind for us.

"HURRY!" It called to us.

We continued to make our way towards the inuit village. The inuits were all inside of course and no one saw us. At least the wind, though awful, wasn't quite enough to blow anything down as sturdy as a home. Luckily the saumen kar knew where a recently abandoned home was and lead us there still shielding us from the wind and snow.

The saumen kar couldn t fit in himself though. We watched him wondering where he'd find shelter from the storm.

He didn't. he hardly got far before lightning blinded us and thunder simultaneous with the lightning nearly broke our ear drums. When our vision cleared we awe saw it. The saumen kar was dead.

This was several hours ago. The storm has passed and the whole village now knows what happened.

We apologized profusely. Finally the village shaman said it was not our faults and we should be thankful there are storms at all rather than only wind as there was for a time.

When we asked further the shaman told us the legend of Sila.

Sila was a great hunter but had trouble getting home after each hunt because there was no wind. So he called to the Gods Qailertetang and Sedna for help. The reacted wind to help him get home.

But the Gods could not continue making the wind and other weather that the earth needed. They could only make win, wind and more wind, and it exhausted them. So Sila took up the responsibility of the winds himself.

Unfortunately before he could do the same to his wife she remarried. He became very angry and created the biting, cold,  
>fierce winds we know today.<p>

Again not the most happy endings to a legend. Seems even Gods win some and loose some.

The saumen kar will be sent out to sea this evening. Tomorrow me and the others will return home. We all need rest after witnessing all this.

Footnote to Filip: Thank you for suggesting this story! You know how much I like adventures in colder climates (would have lovers Alpha Team: Mission Deep Freeze if they hadn't gotten rid of cam :P)!


End file.
